DURHAM, N.H. – The University of Maine football team has done everything in its power to earn a spot in the 16-team NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.

Now, all the 17th-ranked Black Bears can do is wait – and hope.

UMaine made a final statement about its postseason worthiness Saturday afternoon, pounding archrival New Hampshire 57-24 in their mutual regular-season finale at sun-splashed Cowell Stadium.

“We came down here and did exactly what we needed to do,” said senior co-captain Chad Hayes of Old Town. “All we could do was control what happened today on this field. We dictated what was going to happen and we got it done.

“It’s awesome to be part of this,” Hayes added. “Hopefully it’s bringing us into the NCAA playoffs.”

Coach Jack Cosgrove’s Bears completed an 8-2 regular season, the program’s best since 1989 (9-3) and retained the Brice-Cowell Musket, the spoils in the rivalry. The seven Atlantic 10 wins established a school record.

UMaine can only sit back and watch next weekend as teams from the A-10 and across the country make up games postponed by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Next Sunday, the NCAA selection committee will choose the 16-team field for the playoffs, which begin Dec. 1.

What are the Bears’ chances?

“I don’t even want to think about it,” Cosgrove said initially. “We have no control over anything other than what we do on the field and we did everything we could do.

“My mom raised me on [the philosophy] ‘good things happen to good people,’ ” he added. “I think this operation incorporates a lot of good people [who] will get their just reward. We’ll just have to wait a week. It’ll come.”

The Bears cannot earn a share the conference championship and get the NCAA automatic berth. Thus, they must earn one of eight at-large bids.

Eighteenth-ranked Villanova (8-2, 7-1) can clinch with a win. Ninth-ranked Hofstra (9-2, 7-2) would prevail if ‘Nova loses by virtue of a tiebreaking procedure.

Uncertainty was the theme on the field as UMaine players, coaches, family members and friends calmly celebrated Saturday’s win. As Derek Martinez roamed the field, capturing the scene on a video camera, and while the UNH band marched into the thick of the postgame gathering, the Bears weren’t taking anything for granted.

“If this is the last time, I’m proud to go out like this, but hopefully we’ll be able to play [in two weeks],” said senior Ernie Svolto. “As far as I’m concerned, we belong in the playoffs. [The uncertainty of UMaine’s postseason hopes] takes a little bit away, because I don’t know if this is my last game.”

Either way, it will be worth remembering as the Bears won here for the first time since 1989.

UMaine owned the first half – which included a dominating 20-play, 92-yard scoring drive that consumed an incredible 10 minutes, 25 seconds – but led only 21-10 at intermission. The Bears wasted no time extending the lead.

On the second-half kickoff, Stefan Gomes took the ball at the 19-yard line and ran several strides toward a group of blockers on the righthand side. Suddenly, he stopped, turned and threw the ball back to the left where Lennard Byrd was waiting.

Byrd grabbed the lateral and motored all the way down the left side for a momentum-building touchdown.

“That hurt. It was a great call on their part,” said subdued UNH coach Sean McDonnell.

It was Byrd’s third career TD on a kickoff or punt return.

“We’ve been working on that [play] for a long time,” Byrd said. “Every week, once we had it on, they’d either squib or kick it to the wedge, so we couldn’t get it off. We finally got our chance and it worked.”

The Bears led 28-10 and never looked back.

UMaine’s fired-up defense shackled the vaunted New Hampshire offense, allowing only 47 rushing yards. Once they had extended the lead in the second half, the Bears loosened up in the secondary.

“We stopped the run early and put the offense in a situation where they have to throw,” said safety Dave Cusano, who racked up 12 tackles. “The way we see it, an offense can only nickel and dime you so long before they run out of room.”

Cornerback Devon Goree notched seven tackles for UMaine.

The offense had its way with the Wildcats, amassing 614 total yards, among the best effort in school history. Junior quarterback Jake Eaton, the beneficiary of outstanding pass protection, completed 22 of 30 throws good for 343 yards and two TDs.

His 18-yard scoring toss to Hayes with 2:06 left in the third quarter made it 35-17 and deflated the ‘Cats.

“We just executed,” said Eaton, who also ran for first-half touchdowns of 4 and 6 yards. “The guys up front played really well.”

Gomes made eight catches for 109 yards and Paris Minor had seven receptions for 82 yards.

Senior tailback Royston English rolled up 158 yards on 23 carries, including fourth-quarter scoring jaunts of 53 and 28 yards.

English moved into third place on UMaine’s all-time rushing list with 2,842 yards, passing Bob Jameson (2,756).

“I think the mechanics of our offense allow us to be very diversified,” Cosgrove said. “In the second half we really had things going in terms of run and pass and had a great mix of plays.”

Now, the Bears look anxiously ahead toward the playoffs.

“[We’ll] just hope and pray that the selection committee thinks we’re a good enough team to be in that final 16,” Eaton said. “I sure think we are, the way we finished the season.

“We did all we could do.”

BLACK BEARS 57, WILDCATS 24

New Hampshire (4-7) 7 3 7 7?24

Maine (8-2) 7 14 17 19?57

UM ? Eaton 4 run (DeVinney kick)

UNH ? Harvey 100 kickoff return (MacLean kick)

UM ? Eaton 6 run (DeVinney kick)

UM ? S. Gomes 26 pass from Eaton (DeVinney kick)

UNH ? MacDonald 29 field goal

UM ? Byrd 81 kickoff return (DeVinney kick)

UNH ? Mallette 35 pass from Day (MacLean kick)

UM ? Hayes 18 pass from Eaton (DeVinney kick)

UM ? DeVinney 37 field goal

UM ? English 53 run (DeVinney kick)

UM ? English 28 run (kick failed)

UM ? Henry 5 run (kick failed)

UNH ? Taylor 13 pass from Day (MacLean kick)

Maine UNH

First downs 28 25

Rushing att.-yards 49-237 24-47

Passing comp.-att. 25-33 29-51

Passing yards 377 338

Total yards 614 385

Punts-avg. 2-38.5 6-34.3

Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0

Intercepted by 1 0

Penalties-yards 8-88 7-61

Rushing

Maine: English 23-158, Henry 10-57, Williams 4-19, Eaton 10-9, Team 1-(minus-2), S. Gomes 1-(minus-4); UNH: Lewis 10-32, Harvey 6-30, Lindquist 1-1, Day 7-(-16)

Passing

Maine: Eaton 22-30-0-343, Meczywor 3-3-0-34; UNH: Day 29-51-1-338

Receiving

Maine: S. Gomes 8-109, Minor 7-82, Hayes 3-65, Gelsomino 2-64, Pereira 2-34, Nwosu 2-18, Baumgartner 1-5; UNH: Mallette 10-114, Taylor 8-119, Harvey 2-32, Granieri 2-16, Lindquist 2-15, Bailey 2-10, Orihel 1-21, Lewis 1-6, Diner 1-5

A?5,347